Improved apparatus for evaporating and refining sugar



J. E. YOUNGMAN.

Sugar-Evaporating' Pan and Refining Apparatus. Np. 41,253." Patented Jan. 12, 1864 3777/96 5&

UNITED STATES ATENT GFFICEO J. E. YOUNGMAN, OF ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS.

IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR EVAPORATING AND REHNING SUGAR.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 4 L253, dated January 12, 1864.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, J. E. YOUNGMAN, of Rockford, in the county of XVinnebago and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Sugar Evaporators and Befiners; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and complete description of the construction and operation of the same, refercnce being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is a plan View. Fig. 2 is a side view. Fig. 3 is a front end view. Fig. A is a transverse section showing the furnace or fire-place. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section of one of the fire-places and flue.

Like letters denote like parts in the drawings.

There are two furnaces, O O, with asmaller furnace between them. (Seen at A in Figs. 1 and 3.) Directly under the furnace A is an other furnace, B, Figs. 1 and 4. Between the furnaces G and A is a damper, a, and between the furnace O and A is a damper, a, the offices of which will be hereinafter described. The furnaces G C are connected with the furnace B by two dampers, b b, for the purpose of directing the heat from the furnace B on or ell the furnaces A O G at pleasure by a proper adjustment of the dampers a a b b. If it is desired to throw the whole heat of the furnace B into the furnace O, the damper?) is opened, as shown in Fig. 4, the damper a closed, the damper I) also closed by moving it up to b. The heat from B will then all pass through 0. By closing I) and opening I) and closing a all the heatwill pass through 0. By closingboth b and b, and opening a the heatof B will pass through A into C, and by closing a and open ing a the heat of B will pass through A into 0, and by opening both a and a the heat of B and A will be divided between the two. Each of the furnaces O C is provided with grates I) D, the grate D being above the furnace A and the grate D being below or even with the bottom of the furnace A.

In the flue of each furnace is a damper, c, Fig. 5, for the purpose of shutting off or letting on the heat under the pans Nos. 1, 2, 3, and 4 at pleasure. The flue E (shown in sec tion in Fig. 5) is more elevated than the opposite one, (shown at F,) for the purpose of passing the juice or sirup from pan to pan without dipping. The pans are made of metal, or the bottoms may be of metal and the sides of Wood. The outside edge of each pan is in the form of an inclined plane, to facilitate the removal of the scum. The pans Nos. 1 and 2 are placed over the flue 1*], and the pans?) and 1 are placed over the fines F. (Shown in Figs. 1 and 2.)

Upon the outside of the pans 2 and 4, respectively, are placed the perforated spouts K and N. These have beneath them spouts or conductors K and N, which receive the fluid portion of the scum that is drawn over the inclined sides of pans Nos. 2 and 4 and the inclined end of No. 1 upon the perforated spouts K and N. The worthless portion of the scum passes off at the ends of the perforated spouts, while the fluid portion is collected in the trough or reservoir J, to be worked over into an inferior or second quality of sirnp, or distilled into alcohol, brandy, or rum, or coir verted into vinegar.

By means of the dampers d the heat may be shut on or off from the defeeating-pan No. 1 and the border pan No. 5, hereinafter to be described, and when thus shut off, by raising the damper (I so as to close the space (1, the heat will all pass off through the lower flue, E, from the flue E in the direction of the arrows.

In the flue F is 'a damper, e, the position of which is shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 2. This damper is attached to a dividing-plate, c, which extends to the back end of pan No. 2, and thus constituting the flue F when the damper e is raised to the roof of flue F, and when in this position theheat passes oif th rough the flue F, there being a single flue from the termination of the plate 0, while the fine E terminates double, as shown in Fig. 5.

Pans Nos. 5 and 6 are intended for heating the crude juice previous to its introduction into the clefeeati1ig-pa11s. The channels G are for carrying off the fluid part of the scum that rises to the top and flows over and is carried by H and I to the trough or reservoir J, to be used as before stated. As these pans Nos. 5 and 6 are not intended for evaporation, they are each provided with covers to confine the heat. ing-pan No. 1. The scum is drawn off into the perforated spout K, which filters it, allowing the impure portion to be discharged at the end of the spout K, while the fluid part which The juice is first boiled .in the defecatfilters through the perforated spout is received by the lower spout, K, from which it runs into the trough J. Either of the pans Nos. 1, 2, or 4 may be used for the purpose of defecating. From No. 4 the scum is drawn over the side of the pan into the perforated spoutN, and is filtered into the spout N, by which the fluid portion is conveyed into the trough J. From pan No. 1 the scum is first drawn over the incline, end 9 into the receiver 9, and thence upon the perforated screen K. When the pan No. 2 is used for defecating, the crude juice is drawn from heater No. 6, but when used for concentrating the defecated sirup the sirup is drawn from pan N0. 1 through the pipe I into pan No. 2, for further concentration. Pan No. 3 is supplied with the defecated juice through the spout N, and from No. 3 it may be drawn into No. 4, for further condensation. During the second or third boiling what little scum arises to the surface may be drawn over the sides, and for this purpose No. 3 is provided with a spout, L, along its side, which discharges upon the perforated screen N. From heater No. 5 the scum is conveyed into the trough J through the pipe 0.

All of the furnaces are provided with covers or doors and dampers. The doors to the furnaces O O are horizontal, as shown in Fig. 2 at P P. lWhen the dampers c are closed, the doors P or P can be opened, in which event the heat will pass off in that direction. The furnaces G G are both provided with grates at the bottom, to prevent the fuel from falling too low. The wide horizontal doors can be opened for the introduction of fuel, the bagasse or crushed cane being used for that purpose. a

The two furnaces or fire-boxes A and B are for burning coal, corn-cobs, or other solid or inflammable fuel. They are both provided with grates to support the fuel. They are also provided with dampers, operating as be fore described, for the purpose of directing the flame from A or B into or beneath O or O. The upper furnace, A, will be all sufficient to cause the combustion of the bagasse or crushed cane when partly dry, the same being placed in the furnaces O or C, and the flame from the furnace directed upon or through it, in the manner before described.

\Vhen it is desired to burn the crushed cane entirely green or fresh from the press, the furnace B is brought into requisition, and the valves 1) I), opened or closed accordingly, convey the flame from B through the grates D or D at pleasure. In some situations it may be desirable to burn wood, stumps, grubs, &c. In such cases both the furnaces A and B may remain unused, B being drawn out, so as to give the desired draft.

By means of the various arrangements hereinbefore described, I can use the pans over either set of fines, or both, at pleasure, by a proper adjustment of the dampers, and by the same means I can arrest the heat from passing under either set of pans at pleasure.

In getting up this invention it has been an important feature to so construct my furnaces as to be able to burn the bagasse or crushed cane with facility, and thereby procuring sufficient heat for the purposes of evaporation. In the prairie country or uponlarge plantations where fuel is scarce, this is an object of no small importance, and with my arrangement, as hereinbefore .set forth, is eminently successful. I therefore attach to this feature much importance.

When the sirup is sufficiently concentrated for crystallization, I putit into cone-shaped tubs Q, Fig. 6,.through which passes a tube, R, perforated with small holes, as shown in the figure. This tube It is provided with a thimble, S, also perforated, which slips over the tube. 'When this thimble S is so adjusted that the holes in the tube are thereby closed, the sirup is poured in, where it remains at rest until crystallization takes place. The thimble is then turned, so that the perforations in it are brought in opposition with the perforations in the tube B, when the uncrystallized sirup will pass through into the tube R. The advantage of this is that the sugar is drained from all parts alike. In the usual method, the sirup is drained off through the bottom of the loaf, leaving this part partially saturated with sirup.

My evaporator is provided with axle-trecs, so that it can be readily mounted upon wheels, and it is thus rendered portable, being easily moved from place to place in the field.

\Vhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The furnaces A, B, C, and C, arranged as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The arrangement of the dampers a a and I) Z), in combination with the furnaces A, B, O, and O, for the purpose herein specified.

3. The dampers c, d, and e, in combination with the fines E and F, when arranged and operating as described. v

4. The perforated spouts K and N, in connection with the spouts K and N, for the objects and purposes set forth.

5. The bordered heaters Nos. 5 and 6, for the purpose described.

6. The reservoir J, for receiving the fluid part of the scum, as specified.

J. E. YOUNGMAN.

\Vitnesses:

WV. 11. BURRIDGE, I. HOLMES. 

